40 Foot High Snow Drifts Keep Mount Evans Road Closed
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Snow drifts tower 40 feet high and some restrooms have been buried under dozens of feet of snow. The volume of snow has forced crews to delay the opening of Mount Evans Road.
Crews with the Colorado Department of Transportation typically open Mount Evans Road by Memorial Day after plows clear the lanes.
"Right behind me we have 30-plus feet of snow," said CDOT spokeswoman Stacia Sellers. "Our crews have been tackling that. We've just gotten an unusual amount of snow up here so late in the season.
Before the entire road is opened, the road to Summit Lake typically opens first, with the final five miles to the summit cleared later. This year, both remain closed due to the amount of snow that remains.
"So the plan Saturday morning is to open the road up to Summit Lake so motorists can come up there," said Sellers.
Crews continue to work overtime to plow the snow but the entire road is not expected to open before next week.
"It's that huge snowstorm that hit the I-70 corridor. Up here, it just dumped," said Sellers.
The road to Mount Evans, one of Colorado's 14ers, is very popular with summer recreation activities like hiking and camping.
The U.S. Forest Service is working to dig out the restroom facilities from the massive snow drifts.
Additional Information from the CDOT:
Mount Evans Road Opening Information
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.
